Bachmann Dynamis programming. Main track versus Service track

[trainstrainstrains]

.I have studied the manual and have come to the following conclusions.
Please correct me if I am mistaken.
The only 3 reasons you would need a Service track are:
1. If you own locomotives with old decoders that do not accept Operations Mode programming.
2. If you would want to give (program) your locomotives  addresses  at home and belong to a club that runs over 99 locomotives. However even then it would make more sense to program your locos address at the club instead of going through  the unnecessary trouble of wiring and building your Service (programing) track. 
3. If you want to read the CV values presently programed on your locomotives decoders. In which case you will not only need a service track but also a Dynamis ProBox.

If you have less than 99 locomotives (with newer type decoders) on your layout you can program everything on the main track without having to remove any locos from the track.
If you have more than 40 locomotives on your layout  you would need more than 1 Dynamis, a lot of boosters and  I would imagine also a lot of other special equipment.

I have 8 locomotives, They will never leave my layout , so I am giving them simple logical addresses, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 & 8. Once they have their respective address numbers I can give (program) a name and choose an icon for each loco,  change individual locomotive decoder speed steps and function settings. I can  also change the CV values of all or any CV. and even  manage consists, all this on the main track.  I can  record on paper or PC or Tablet or mobile phone. doc. the  CV values once I change them.  So as far as I can see I will not be needing a Service (programing) track.

If one would want to build a Service track for a Dynamis controlled layout ,  yow would need to  add a 15 cm long dead end segment connected to your track with a turnout and isolated  on both rails from the main track. The main wires that go from your DC power pack connector on the Dynamis to the track must be cut and a toggle switch installed so that the power is fed either to the main track or the service track segment.

The following statements here quoted from the Dynamis manual have led me to the above conclusions.


"Short addresses ("2-digit") can be written to a decoder using Main Track programming with other locomotives on the track. "

"Long addresses ("4-digit") must be written to a decoder by programming using a Service Track with no other locomotives present otherwise all locomotives will adopt the address. If necessary create a separate length of track powered by your Dynamis for this purposes.

"Once there are 40 roster entries one must be deleted to allow any other locomotives to be run."

"Dynamis has the capability of programming in one of two methods: 'Operations Mode ' (also called 'Main track programming') - other locomotives can be left on the track as the programming instruction is sent to the particular decoder address. 'Service Mode' makes the entire layout a service track. All decoders present on the layout will receive the programming instruction. Other locomotives should be removed from the track if using this method, or the locomotive programmed on an isolated Service Track. Decoders that do not accept Operations Mode programming should be programmed on a Service Track. Service mode also allows decoder CV values to be read: this is possible using the Dynamis ProBox."

[Hunt]

Try it you may be able to live without a Programming Track.




If part of the layout, the Programming Track must be electrically isolated from the main layout tracks. You described one way to incorporate a Programming Track into a layout.   Some prefer to physically isolate the Programming Track from the layout by having it on their workbench test track.
 
The three main reasons for a programming track are
   1.   To detect and prevent damage to a decoder due to it being incorrectly wired or not isolated.
   2.   Read CVs to aid troubleshooting DCC decoder problems.
   3.   To program decoder with an addressing restriction.



Not a good idea to use address 3 for one of your locomotives since most locomotives factory DCC equipped come with the address set to 3. The address is set to 3 on any DCC decoder sold separately. 




There can never be more than one DCC command station connected to layout track no matter how large the layout is.

[rogertra]

I do not use the Bachmann DCC system but I do have a programming track on my workbench and that's where all new locomotives are programmed.

With the system I use, all my loco address are the locomotive's road number.  No confusion over which loco or consist you have control of.

The only time I "program on the main" is the odd time I make up a new consist or break down an old consist.  Something I rarely do as it takes time to speed match the units in a consist, something I like to do once and once only as  "Do it once and leave it" is my motto when it comes to programming.  :-)


Cheers


Roger T.

[trainstrainstrains]

Ha! Thanks to you both,  good to know.
Is the  work bench track  run on a second separate perhaps different DCC?

[rogertra]

Ha! Thanks to you both,  good to know.
Is the  work bench track  run on a second separate perhaps different DCC?

I use one of two "Power Cabs" that I can unplug from the railroad and take over to my programming track.

My programming track is set up to be independent with its own power supply.  It's also connected to a computer so I can use JMRI for programming, which I understand can't be used with the Bachmann system(?)


Cheers




Roger T.

[trainstrainstrains]

I have a simple EZ command that I never use, It would be nice if I could use it for  a separate work bench  programming track. I wonder if it possible.

What voltage is used on programming mode? Can it be measured with a multimeter?

[Hunt]

It is possible to limit the Bachmann E-Z Command Control Center current output (covered in its instructions). However, the E-Z Command Control Center can indirectly program just a few CVs. It cannot program by user supplied CV number. Thus it is of very little use as a CV programmer.

NMRA STANDARD for Service Mode programming is a current of 250 mA.  Power to the programming track is off except is on a little over 100 milliseconds when command packets are sent.  This can be selected to always on with Dynamis but do not.